cultivate
Definitions
To prepare and use land for growing crops; to grow plants.
耕作；种植；栽培
To develop or foster a skill, quality, habit, or relationship over time.
培养，陶冶（技能、品质、习惯、关系）
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedcult (till, tend) + -ate (verb) = 'to till and tend.' The literal sense is working the soil. The figurative sense applies the same patient tending to intangible things — you 'cultivate' patience, a friendship, or a skill the way a farmer cultivates a field: prepare the ground, plant, and wait for it to grow.
Root cult still carries 38 more wordsCommon Collocations
- 1.cultivate land耕种土地
- 2.cultivate a relationship培养关系
- 3.cultivate a habit养成习惯
- 4.cultivate skills培养技能
- 5.cultivate an image塑造形象
Example Sentences
- 1.
Farmers here cultivate rice on terraced hillsides.
- 2.
It takes years to cultivate trust between two teams.
- 3.
He deliberately cultivated a calm, patient manner.
Synonym Comparison
- cultivate — to grow patiently over time, soil or skill: cultivate patience
- grow — the broadest, neutral word: grow vegetables, grow a business
- nurture — emphasizes care and protection of something young or fragile: nurture talent
- foster — to encourage the development of something, often without owning it: foster cooperation
- develop — to make something advance or expand, more neutral and goal-driven: develop a strategy